Tom Allen understands some of the questions surrounding his decision to leave Penn State after one highly-successful season to take a seemingly lateral move as Clemson‘s new defensive coordinator. Still,

Tom Allen is Clemson’s defensive coordinator because he runs a unit that fits what Dabo Swinney was looking for. Swinney was asked what schematically led him to Allen in the hiring process during their introductory press conference.

The Chicago Bears are hiring former New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen as their next defensive coordinator and former Denver Broncos tight ends coach Declan Doyle as their offensive coordinator, NF

The mentality that new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen plans to bring to the Bears is in keeping with the team’s storied history as “Monsters of the Midway.”

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears have hired Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator and Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator under new coach Ben Johnson. Chicago also is keeping Richard Hightower as special teams coordinator as it looks to rebound after going 5-12 this season. The team announced the moves on Tuesday.

A longtime believer in “blooming where you’re planted,” Swinney has now made five straight outside hires for assistant coaches.

Penn State formally hired Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to the same position Monday morning. Knowles replaces Tom Allen, who left after one year to become the defensive coordinator at Clemson.

James Franklin has picked up his first win over Ohio State since 2016. Penn State poached Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles over the weekend. While Ryan Day and the Buckeyes were busy celebrating their first national title in 10 years with a party at Ohio Stadium,

Penn State has made a massive splash by hiring Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to take the same job with the Nittany Lions.

Defensive coordinators have outpaced offensive coordinators in wages for years now. Of the top 15 highest-paid coordinators in 2024, 11 are defensive play-callers. Nine of those have inked new deals since the start of the 2022 college football season.

Jim Knowles replaces Tom Allen, who left to take the same job with Clemson after Penn State fell to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals.

Clemson stole Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen. Penn State responded by stealing Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles on Sunday, much to the disappointment of OU and Notre Dame, which both cast come-hither eyeballs at Knowles.